How much does an idiot mark reduce value.

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I got put down for selling a DWCCO, that was basicaly new, but i put the dreaded mark on it. So i sold it for a very fair price. When i showed the man the scratch, he just laughed, said thats how some people are. If your selling at a fair price, i'd not worry about it. Let the others say what they want, and let them buy new. Give some one deserving of this nice gun a good deal, and move on. It does not cost that much to refinish a slide.

Idiot Mark...
My ex brother-in-law's name is Mark. He is definitely an Idiot Mark.

I have 2 1911's and shoot them often at our lgs range with my friends. If I showed up with a 1911 with an idiot mark on it, I would never live it down. Even if I didn't put the mark on the gun, it would still reflect poorly on me. People see the mark & just assume the owner is an idiot. It is very easy to find 1911's that don't have the mark on them. Why would I put myself through the humiliation of owning one that does have the 1911 mark of dishonor? I wouldn't...

Being an idiot here- how does one put the slide stop back on without scratching the slide?

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Push it straight in without the exxagerated swinging motion too many think is part of the process. It's not. Idiots always seem to forget there is a lug on the back of the damn thing. And glockin-45, it's not the slide that may need refinishing, it's the frame....although I suppose there are some idiots who manage to scratch up both during reassembly .

Idiot Mark...
My ex brother-in-law's name is Mark. He is definitely an Idiot Mark.

I have 2 1911's and shoot them often at our lgs range with my friends. If I showed up with a 1911 with an idiot mark on it, I would never live it down. Even if I didn't put the mark on the gun, it would still reflect poorly on me. People see the mark & just assume the owner is an idiot. It is very easy to find 1911's that don't have the mark on them. Why would I put myself through the humiliation of owning one that does have the 1911 mark of dishonor? I wouldn't...

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If you are that concerned about how others view you and your weapons, you need some self-esteem.

Anyways, I own a single 1911 with an idiot mark. Its very faint, but its there. All my others dont have one, because i owned them all from new. However, when I buy a gun for a specific purpose, like competition, I could care less. Its going to see a ton of rounds and get shot to hell anyway. Bounced around inside a case and range bag, laid out on shooting benches etc. No big deal.

Pushing straight in has never worked for me. I've owned several 1911's, none would push directly straight in, even pushing very hard, even up and in.-- the plunger always gets stuck under the stop in some fashion or another. I've always had to use a tool push back the plunger.

Push it straight in without the exxagerated swinging motion too many think is part of the process. It's not. Idiots always seem to forget there is a lug on the back of the damn thing. And glockin-45, it's not the slide that may need refinishing, it's the frame....although I suppose there are some idiots who manage to scratch up both during reassembly .

Pushing straight in has never worked for me. I've owned several 1911's, none would push directly straight in, even pushing very hard, even up and in.-- the plunger always gets stuck under the stop in some fashion or another. I've always had to use a tool push back the plunger.

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I don't know what to tell you, cci . It's the way I was taught years ago and it's always worked for me with many, many 1911s. Once I line everything up, it's basically a straight-in push with just a touch of upward bias. I never "swing" the slide stop into position like some insist on doing...that's just asking for trouble.

I bought an Ithaca 1911A1, WWII issue, with original finish and idiot scratches both ways!
But, instead of $1,500 it would have been worth, I paid $1,250. If I ever resell it (unlikely), then I'll keep the price low to reflect the ignorance that created the scratches.
I'm guessing either military guy in a hurry, or a trainee that hadn't shot anything but BB guns up to that point.
I'm pretty sure the military trains their recruits how to assemble a pistol without wrecking it.

Pushing straight in has never worked for me. I've owned several 1911's, none would push directly straight in, even pushing very hard, even up and in.-- the plunger always gets stuck under the stop in some fashion or another. I've always had to use a tool push back the plunger.

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Try assembling BEFORE you add the plunger; ie, spring cap and bushing LAST.

Rick, assuming the thumb safety is already installed, the pressure on the slide stop's detent plunger won't be any different, whether the slide is assembled or not.

It sounds like cciman is having trouble pushing straight in with the slide stop. What I'd try is pushing it straight in before it's lined up in the disassembly notch. Then you can try pulling back the slide to its proper notch and pushing in the slide stop the rest of the way. I've used this method on more stubborn detent plunger springs and it's worked well.

A 1911 with an "idiot scratch" makes me wonder if the internals have been jacked with by someone that can't put the slide stop back in without gouging the frame.

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I can tell you the the "idiot mark" cause by the improper reinstalling the slide stop does cost $100 off.

I have bought several 1911 with such a mark off of Gun Broker well below what the pistol would have brought.

On stainless steel I just buff it out and go on. However, when I was looking for a Smith & Wesson 945 there was one with the same idiot mark! I think it is still on Gun Broker. I later found one below the asking price without the idiot mark. I bought that one.

My point is that idiot marks on Kimbers and Springfield will cost you. Idiot marks on Les Baer, Wilson, Guncrafter and other premium 1911's will cost you sales. People that buy those expect the people that own premium know how not to screw them up. It is just easier to keep shopping and find one that was treated correctly. Buyers will pay for that.

Pushing straight in has never worked for me. I've owned several 1911's, none would push directly straight in, even pushing very hard, even up and in.-- the plunger always gets stuck under the stop in some fashion or another. I've always had to use a tool push back the plunger.

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Each 1911 would have its own sweet spot and you simply have to find it.

Some of mine are undersized (or oversized) that it would require a rap of a rubber mallet to get the slide release lever to go in, but yes, it does go in straight without the need to swing or twist around.

When I was an pro-temp armorer for my unit, I simply didn't give a damn about the idiot mark because a) it doesn't hurt the gun, and b) it ain't my gun.

Nowadays, I own a handful of these suckers and I'd try my damndest not to get an idiot mark on the new ones. The used ones, I can't do much about. It's weird because I'm not afraid of scratching them up while packing or playing at the range, but the idiot mark drives me nuts.

1911 guys used to suggest that beginners use a little piece of masking tape or a thin piece of plastic as a protectant to prevent the scratch until the assembler gets the 'feel' for how the parts properly go together.

Comments about the "hacks" who scratch their 1911 frames smack a bit of a 'know-it-all' attitude. People, including lots of really smart ones, have been flubbing 1911 re-assembly for a hundred years. Yes, it hurts value. It also teaches a very valuable lesson for folks who stick with 1911s. Thats why I intentionally started out with a less costly RIA to learn about 1911 mechanics.

Guess it depends on the use of the 1911. Lots of people seem to buy guns just to show them off to their friends. Ok by me-
I buy my guns to use. To shoot. Often.
As a friend of mine says-he's a car guy-chrome don't get you home-same principal here
If you are concerned about cosmetic wear on a pistol, might I suggest a Glock?

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